Some fossilized jawbones and teeth were enough to convince researchers of a new species.Jaw and teeth fossils discovered recently in Ethiopia have led paleoanthropologists to add another human-like species to the alleged tree of humans and their immediate ancestors. Called Australopithecus deyiremeda, the new species is said to shed light on a period of the human lineage before the Homo genus arrived.The scientists say the new species combined ape-like and human-like traits, as did the Australopithecus afarensis specimen known as Lucy. They believe the two species lived at the same time almost “three million years” ago. Lucy’s skeleton was uncovered in 1974 about 30 miles (50 km) from the new discovery. The scientists have not decided how . . . Read All

Approximately 3,500 pastors of the Mekane Yesus church in Ethiopia gathered on April 15-17 for a pastors conference. They met on the campus of Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS) in Addis Ababa. The conference theme was “Our Vocation: Devotion to Prayer, Ministry of the Word and Leadership.”
Dr. Wakseyoum, President of the 7.2 million member Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, interprets Dr. Berhanu’s presentation on Ephesians 4 for Dr. Collver.
Dr. Berhanu’s presentation focuses on Ephesians 4:1, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Dr. Berhanu desired to encourage pastors in their vocation and calling. He told the pastors that they were . . . Read All

Approximately 3,500 pastors of the Mekane Yesus church in Ethiopia gathered on April 15-17 for a pastors conference. They met on the campus of Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS) in Addis Ababa. The conference theme was “Our Vocation: Devotion to Prayer, Ministry of the Word and Leadership.”
Dr. Wakseyoum, President of the 7.2 million member Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, interprets Dr. Berhanu’s presentation on Ephesians 4 for Dr. Collver.
Dr. Berhanu’s presentation focuses on Ephesians 4:1, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Dr. Berhanu desired to encourage pastors in their vocation and calling. He told the pastors that they were . . . Read All

14 April 2015
Today, the LCMS group — Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations / Regional Operations; Rev. Juan Gonzalez, Board for International Mission member; Rev. Mark Rabe, Missionary to East Africa / professor at MYS; Rev. Shauen Trump, Area Director for East Africa — along with people from the EECMY left Addis Ababa for Fiche to see a EECMY mission start and its context with a nearby orthodox monastery.
Pictured (left to right): Rev. Mark Rabe, professor to MYS; Rev. Shauen Trump, Area Director of East Africa; Rev. Juan Gonzalez, Member of the Board for International Mission; in car from Addis Ababa to Fiche.
A road we traveled down near Fiche. At times the road became impassable for . . . Read All

On 19-21 March 2015, The LCMS and EECMY held a conference titled, “Recovering Lutheran Identity in Worship and Music.” The conference originated from the work of the EECMY hymnal committee, which is seeking to develop a new hymnal for the EECMY. Deaconess Sandra Rhein from the Missouri Synod works with the EECMY’s hymnal committee. She has made several trips to Ethiopia for this work and most recently organized the worship conference. This post is based upon her reports.
The first action of this Hymnal Committee was to sponsor a three-day Worship and Music Conference. The goal of the conference was to teach the fundamentals of what theology and music mean for the faithful. It was held March 19—21 at Gudima . . . Read All

7 February 2015
There is tremendous new opportunity for Lutheran Bible Translators in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Dr Mike Rodewald, executive director and Rev. Rich Rudowske, Director of International Programs are spending two weeks connecting with leaders of the two largest Lutheran church bodies in Africa. Lutheran Bible Translators, a recognized service organization of the LCMS, was founded 50 years ago through the vision of a Lutheran missionary who had to leave Nigeria for the health of his family. In the last fifty years, LBT missionaries and partners have translated 40 NT and/or complete Bibles reaching an estimated seven million people with God’s Word through their own language.
Dr. Jim Kaiser, LBT translation consultant arrived in Ethiopia three weeks ago to . . . Read All

Dr. Fred Baue Lecturing on the Lutheran Confessions
6 February 2015
“Our churches are falsely accused of abolishing the Mass. The Mass is held among us and celebrated with the highest reverence, ” comes from the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV, said Dr. Fred Baue to his class on the Lutheran Confessions. “What is the mass?,” asked Dr. Baue, “The word is associated with the Roman Catholic church, but it simply means the chief Sunday service where the Lord’s Supper is celebrated.” Lutherans were falsely accused of abolishing the chief worship service in Martin Luther’s day. “Today, we need to consider if the charge of abolishing the mass, or the chief worship of Christ applies to us today, particularly here in
. . . Read All

Dr. Fred Baue Lecturing on the Lutheran Confessions
6 February 2015
“Our churches are falsely accused of abolishing the Mass. The Mass is held among us and celebrated with the highest reverence, ” comes from the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV, said Dr. Fred Baue to his class on the Lutheran Confessions. “What is the mass?,” asked Dr. Baue, “The word is associated with the Roman Catholic church, but it simply means the chief Sunday service where the Lord’s Supper is celebrated.” Lutherans were falsely accused of abolishing the chief worship service in Martin Luther’s day. “Today, we need to consider if the charge of abolishing the mass, or the chief worship of Christ applies to us today, particularly here in . . . Read All

Opportunities in Africa (Ethiopia in this case) abound for theological education. Opportunities exist both for a person who wants to travel overseas to teach a class and for students who are taught at a local insinuation or who receive a scholarship to study at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, or Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis.
The video highlights how the Global Seminary Initiative (GSI) is helping connect qualified volunteers with teaching opportunities overseas and students with opportunities to study locally or possibility at an LCMS seminary. Two students are interviewed: a future deaconess who has been accepted to Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne and a PhD student who has been accepted for study at Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis. Two
. . . Read All

Opportunities in Africa (Ethiopia in this case) abound for theological education. Opportunities exist both for a person who wants to travel overseas to teach a class and for students who are taught at a local insinuation or who receive a scholarship t…

(Originally from: http://blogs.lcms.org/2015/new-work-in-an-ancient-land)Ethiopia is a country with an ancient history and rich culture dating back to the Old Testament period. Some Bible versions translate Cush in Ezek. 29:10 as “Ethiopia,” and the Oromo, the largest of Ethiopia’s many tribes, is known as “Southern Cushite.”
Christianity has been in Ethiopia for nearly 2,000 years. It became the state religion in 330 A.D. when Archbishop Athanasius of Alexandria sent a bishop to Ethiopia, resulting in the birth of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and it remains the predominant religion to this day.
Lutherans are relative latecomers to this African nation—and the LCMS later still.
Lutheran contact with Ethiopia began in the 17th century with the arrival of Dr. Peter Heyling,
. . . Read All

(Originally from: http://blogs.lcms.org/2015/new-work-in-an-ancient-land)
Ethiopia is a country with an ancient history and rich culture dating back to the Old Testament period. Some Bible versions translate Cush in Ezek. 29:10 as “Ethiopia,” and the Oromo, the largest of Ethiopia’s many tribes, is known as “Southern Cushite.”
Christianity has been in Ethiopia for nearly 2,000 years. It became the state religion in 330 A.D. when Archbishop Athanasius of Alexandria sent a bishop to Ethiopia, resulting in the birth of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and it remains the predominant religion to this day.
Lutherans are relative latecomers to this African nation—and the LCMS later still.
Lutheran contact with Ethiopia began in the 17th century with the arrival of Dr. Peter Heyling, . . . Read All

Rev. Wakseyoum Idossa
Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m. CST
Presidents Room, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Live stream: www.csl.edu/live
The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) has a history of struggle and growth, including persecution under communist rule. With well over 6 million members today, the church continues to grow and strengthen its ministry.
Dr. Wakseyoum Idossa, president of the EECMY, will lead a discussion on the church’s holistic model of ministry that has enabled it to respond effectively and compassionately to the needs of its people.
This lecture is free to attend and will be streamed live. Set your browser to www.csl.edu/live to watch and hear the lecture on your computer.
For more information, contact Becky Pagel at . . . Read All

11 October, New Testament The deacon Philip, was also called an evangelist (see Acts 21:8). He was one of the seven men appointed to assist in the work of the twelve Apostles and of the rapidly growing early church by overseeing the distribution of fo…

11 October, New Testament The deacon Philip, was also called an evangelist (see Acts 21:8). He was one of the seven men appointed to assist in the work of the twelve Apostles and of the rapidly growing early church by overseeing the distribution of fo…

The Rev. Dr. Carl Rockrohr and his wife, Deaconess Deborah Rockrohr, are about to begin new positions in Ethiopia with the LCMS after having spent the last year and a half as career missionaries in South Africa.(Read more…)